Big Galeta (Pleuraphis rigida) is a perennial grass with a
shrubby habit found on plains and broad wash areas of the Sonoran Desert.
Several florets with developing grains are visible in this image together with
a broad-nosed weevil, identified by C. O'Brien. Rainbow Valley, Maricopa Co.,
Arizona, USA. May 2010.

Curculionidae -- Weevil Family

The distinctive feature of weevils is their elongated, modified head and mouth
parts. These structures are important for the animal's ability to construct a
brood chamber within the host plant. Eggs laid in the chamber emerge and then
tunnel through plant tissue. This tunneling may kill shoots, twigs or roots.

There are hundreds to thousands of weevil species inhabiting the Sonoran Desert
of Arizona and Mexico. Most are not of concern to agriculture or gardeners and
should be considered important and necessary components of the ecosysytem.